Nitrogen and CO.sub.2 gas as well as other compressed gases are often used in the air conditioning and refrigeration and welding fields for testing and other purposes. However, regulators for nitrogen gas bottles and for CO.sub.2 gas bottles have two different thread sizes. That is, to use a nitrogen regulator on a CO.sub.2 gas bottle requires a joinder member having a first and a second end, the two ends having different thread diameters.
Nitrogen regulators typically have a female and a male connector, with the male on the regulator side and carbon dioxide regulators typically have a male to female connector with a female on the regulator side. These standardized connections also use different size threads.
The prior art adapter set forth in the illustrations is made of three pieces: a union threaded first collar (A) (which joins the CO.sub.2 bottle through the use of a CO.sub.2 nut), a threaded second collar (B) (which joins the nitrogen regulator through the use of a nitrogen connector) and a joinder member (C) (the joinder member being a CO.sub.2 nipple) for joining two collars. Typically the joinder member is attached permanently to collar B, as indicated in the accompanying figure, for example, by brazing (Braze). Using three pieces is expensive and the use of the cylindrical joinder piece between the two collars extends the nitrogen regulator away from the cylinder creating a potential safety hazard. When put together and ready for use, the three-piece adapter (the center member being attached to a collar) becomes functionally a two-piece member.
Because of the use of three pieces in constructing the N.sub.2 /CO.sub.2 adapter and the requirement of brazing, and the undesirable length of the prior art three-piece adapter, utility lies in adapter having fewer pieces which can be more easily and inexpensively constructed and will place the N.sub.2 regulator closer to the CO.sub.2 cylinder.
The prior art adaptor illustrated seals N.sub.2 connector collar (B) having N.sub.2 nipple receiving walls (D) to N.sub.2 nipple on N.sub.2 regulator by joining and tightening N.sub.2 female connector collar (B) to N.sub.2 nut (G) on regulator to create a gas tight seal between the nipple receiver walls (D) and the "O" ring bearing N.sub.2 nipple (H). However, as illustrated in the prior art, a second seal must be created to the male CO.sub.2 cylinder port. The prior art accomplishes this by fixing to collar B, a CO.sub.2 nipple on joinder member (C), and a captive, freely rotating CO.sub.2 nut, namely collar A. Gas tight joinder is accomplished by threading the CO.sub.2 nut, collar A onto the threaded male CO.sub.2 cylinder port (E) until a tight seal is made to face (F) of CO.sub.2 nipple.
In place of this two piece unit the prior art provides, applicant has a floating sealing member, typically a fiber washer, in a single piece housing, with one end of the housing threaded for accepting CO.sub.2 connecting port (E) and at the other end for receiving threads of N.sub.2 nut (G). The floating sealing member joins N.sub.2 nipple (H) with CO.sub.2 cylinder port (E).